Dear Faith Family, 

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice, (Ephesians 4:31). 

Ever have one of those moments when someone you’re talking with releases words that fill the room?  You know, they just land with such force that you can’t ignore them.  The words?  Hold on.  We’ll get to those words.  But let me give you a little context. 

On my way to the office, I was followed in the right lane of traffic by a rather impatient driver.  To his / her dismay, they were unable to pass me because of a slower driver in the left lane.  Fast forward to the place where the road merges to a single lane.  A couple of cars back was this disgruntled Indy car driver until it came time to turn left into the church parking lot.  Then right behind me until he / she launched onto the grassy shoulder and sped around me. 

In the throws of the story my friend uttered a summary, “he was just paying it backward!”  Those words froze in bold print.  Paying it backward.  When hurt leaves a mark it will look for a mark to leave.  In other words, when we are hurt by someone, the temptation to take it out on someone else lurks at our door. 

Consider Joseph’s brothers, Jacob’s sons.  They were hurt.  Their father loved Joseph more than all his brothers, (Genesis 37:4).  Let’s stop and think about this for a moment.  What are we going to do with that hurt?  Keep in mind that temptation is coming up the front steps.  And what did the brothers do?  They paid it backward!  They hated Joseph and could not speak peacefully to him, (Genesis 37:4).  You know the rest of the story, right?  Joseph offered his brothers an opportunity that they couldn’t refuse. 

Ever find yourself paying it backward?  Kicked around at work only to pay it backward when you get home by taking out your frustrations on family?  Word wounds from the lips of another provide motivation to pay it backward and wound others with your words? 

Joseph stands in stark contrast.  He didn’t pay it backward.  And did he ever have reason to do so!  Instead, when his brothers came in desperation to Egypt, Joseph paid it forward.  He extended grace.  But how?!  He understood the sovereign grace of His God, our God.  He saw the bigger picture.  He learned to see God at work.  God was his reference point, not his brothers! 

And so, Joesph, basking in the forgiveness of Jesus (Ephesians 4:32), was able, by God’s grace, to put away bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice.  He didn’t give his brothers what they deserved (paying it backward).  He did give his brothers what was freely and undeservedly given to him (paying it forward). 

Pay it forward, 

Pastor Karl